CHAPTER 36: CHAPTER 36 - NORMAL DAY [LL]

During those few hours, Mikail worked at the café alongside Moona and Melisa, just ordinary tasks, filled with ordinary moments. The hiss of the espresso machine became a steady background hum, blending with the clink of ceramic cups and the low murmur of customers chatting in cozy corners.

He brewed coffee with practiced hands, called out names with a half-smile, and wiped counters until they gleamed under the warm golden lights.

He chuckled quietly at Melisa’s exaggerated yawns, watching her stretch like a sleepy cat between orders, and caught the occasional amused smirk from Moona whenever a customer tried, awkwardly and always unsuccessfully to flirt with her.

It was simple.

No shadows creeping at the edge of his vision.

No ancient voices whispering riddles through his thoughts.

No urgent missions flashing like warnings across his System interface.

Just warmth, and scent, and movement. The rich aroma of roasted beans, the soft brush of air when someone passed behind him, the gentle buzz of life unburdened by destiny.

It was the rhythm of everyday life, mundane, imperfect, fleeting.

And for a little while, it was enough.

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Moona stumbled toward the table, her footsteps heavy and sluggish. She let out a weary sigh as she slumped into the nearest chair, brushing a few loose strands of hair from her damp forehead.

"I didn’t think working at a café would be this exhausting," She murmured, her voice barely above a whisper, eyes half-lidded as she stared blankly ahead.

"Kail, can yo-"

Before she could finish, Mikail had already placed three glasses of cold coffee on the table with practiced ease.

"Here, drink this," Mikail said, his tone gentle but firm. Then, glancing toward Moona, who was still fussing over something at the cashier’s desk. He added, "Moona, come here and rest. We’ll finish it later, while the customers are gone"

Hearing that, Moona’s hands paused mid-motion. She looked over at Mikail, then shifted her gaze to Melisa, who had already downed half her cup of coffee. With a soft sigh, Moona reached up to untie her hair, letting it fall loosely over her shoulders, then quietly made her way over to join them.

Watching Moona sink into her chair with a tired huff, a teasing smile tugged at the corner of Mikail’s lips.

"Pretty popular today, huh?" He said, his voice light, laced with amusement as he raised an eyebrow.

Moona shot him a look, one brow raised as a smirk played on her lips.

"Says the guy who keeps exchanging contact info with half the female customers," She quipped, leaning back in her chair with mock innocence.

"Why?" Mikail leaned in slightly, the teasing glint in his eyes growing sharper. "You jealous?"

Moona’s cheeks flushed a soft pink, but she quickly crossed her arms and lifted her chin, refusing to back down.

"In your dreams," She scoffed, though her voice wavered just slightly. "As if I’d waste my energy being jealous over you"

The corner of her mouth betrayed her with the faintest twitch of a smile.

A soft giggle escaped her lips before she could stop it, memories bubbling up from the past, those carefree days back in high school, when she and Mikail would bicker over the pettiest things.

It was always like this, playful jabs wrapped in laughter, a rhythm they’d never quite lost.

"I wish we could go back to when we were still in high school..." Moona said softly, her voice almost lost beneath the café’s quiet hum. "And maybe, I..."

Her words trailed off as her eyes met Mikail’s, and for a heartbeat too long, the world seemed to be still. Realizing what she was about to say, her face turned a deeper shade of red. She quickly looked away, pretending to adjust her hair.

But as she turned, she found herself locking eyes with Melisa, who had been silently observing their entire exchange with a knowing smirk, sipping her coffee like it was the most entertaining drama she’d seen all week.

"...Tell me," Melisa said, setting her cup down with a soft clink and resting her chin on her hand, eyes glinting with mischief. "What really happened between you two back in high school?"

She looked between them with a cat-like grin, clearly enjoying the tension that still lingered in the air. Moona nearly choked on her own breath, while Mikail let out a low, helpless laugh.

"...There’s nothing. Just norm-" Moona began, waving a hand dismissively.

"Don’t give me that ’normal’ bullshit," Melisa cut in, leaning forward with a pointed look. "The way you two look at each other? Yeah, that’s definitely not normal"

Moona’s mouth opened, then closed again, her face turning redder by the second. Mikail, meanwhile, rubbed the back of his neck, clearly fighting back a grin.

"...What, were you two a couple or something? Broke up after high school?" Melisa pressed, narrowing her eyes with mock seriousness.

"Come on, spill it"

She pointed a finger between them like a detective closing in on a long-unsolved case. Moona immediately looked away, suddenly very interested in her coffee. Mikail let out a small chuckle, glancing at Moona with something softer behind his smile.

"Don’t tease her like that, Lisa," Mikail cut in with a half-laugh, shaking his head. "There really wasn’t anything between us. We were just... Normal friends. A rival, maybe?"

He glanced at Moona, as if hoping for her to back him up. But as soon as the words "normal friends" Left his mouth, a faint shift flickered across her expression, barely noticeable, but not to Melisa.

The playful glint in Melisa’s eyes dimmed, just slightly, replaced by quiet curiosity as she caught the flicker of disappointment in Moona’s gaze, the way her fingers tightened around her cup, the way she suddenly avoided looking at either of them.

"*Sigh* Fine, I’ll back down... For now," Melisa said, throwing her hands up in mock surrender. But just as the tension started to ease, she suddenly pointed a finger at Mikail.

"But what about you, Kail? Huh?" Her eyes narrowed. "You’ve been different lately. Not like when we first met. You used to be more... expressive. Joking around. Now you’re all calm and quiet. What’s up with that?"

Her voice held a note of genuine concern beneath the teasing. Moona looked up at him too, curiosity flickering in her eyes, as if only now noticing the shift Melisa was pointing out.

Mikail was caught off guard by the question. He hadn’t realized it until now, but Melisa was right, he hadn’t been wearing his usual "mask." The one he put on without thinking, to distance himself from everyone, to keep things light, to avoid showing too much.

He fell silent for a moment, his eyes flickering as he tried to find the right words.

"... I-"

But before he could continue, Moona’s cell phone suddenly buzzed loudly on the table, an incoming message lighting up the screen.

"Oh! I’m sorry," Moona exclaimed, her face flushing slightly as she quickly grabbed her phone to check the incoming message.

She didn’t notice the way Mikail let out a quiet sigh of relief, his shoulders loosening just a little.

The weight of Melisa’s question still lingered, but the brief interruption gave him a moment to breathe, he wasn’t sure what he would have said, but the pressure felt lighter now.

"Oh, no..." Moona muttered, her face falling as she read the message on her phone.

"What’s wrong, Mon?" Melisa asked, concern creeping into her voice.

"I just got a message from the person who usually performs at night," Moona explained, her fingers nervously tapping on the screen. "They can’t make it tonight due to some sudden issue"

She sighed deeply before continuing, "Normally, in a situation like this, they’d contact Grandpa first... But he’s out of range right now, so they messaged me instead"

"Shouldn’t we just look for another performer?" Melisa suggested, her tone casual, but there was an underlying concern in her voice.

Moona shook her head slowly, her gaze drifting to the clock on the wall. The ticking seemed louder in the sudden silence.

"No time," she said quietly, her voice a bit heavier than before. "I don’t think anyone will be able to perform tonight"

"*Ukhum* "

Mikail suddenly cleared his throat, the sound startlingly loud in the otherwise quiet room. The gazes of both Moona and Melisa immediately shifted toward him, their expressions a mix of curiosity and expectation.

Mikail hesitated for a moment, his fingers tapping lightly on the counter. The weight of their attention was palpable, but he couldn’t help it, something in him stirred.

"Maybe... I could help out," He said slowly, almost as if testing the words. "I’m not exactly a performer, but If just singing and playing guitar, maybe I could do something about it"

Hearing this, Moona and Melisa exchanged a quick glance, both raising an eyebrow in unison. Then, they turned their attention back to Mikail, the same question on both of their faces.

"...You could sing?" Moona asked, her voice laced with surprise, her eyes widening slightly.

....

...

..

.